ATT is breaking my contract and there's nothing I can do about it? Is this fair ?

I'm an ATT Blue customer for the past 7 years. I did my 2 yr requirement, then went on a month to month basis. I've been paying $43 including taxes for 2 phones with 1000 minutes.

Now ATT is closing down the system that my phone runs off of by saying my phone won't work on their new system (3G). Well that's a lie because I loaned my phone to my graddaughter to use temporarily when her's broke and she put her 3g card in and it worked and even did an upgrade to my phone, when ATT kept telling "me" there were no upgrades availale.

So now with the forced switch I have to choose a new plan, which will make my new monthly chg is $80 per month for the same amount of minutes. And if I get a smartphone I'm forced to have a data plan.

Bubey, I know that you are dissappointed that AT&T/Cingular allowed you to keep a plan from a company that was dissolved 5 years ago. You admittedly signed a 2-year contract 7 years ago in order to get a new phone. At the time, AT&T was bleeding money and was doing anything they possibly could to keep themselves alive until Cingular was to purchase them. They set up some plans that were way below market value to attract new customers. They knew that if they lost money on the plan, they didn't need to worry about it because Cingular was buyng their debt too.

Finally, after 5 years, the new AT&T (formerly Cingular) is no longer going to support the old AT&T network, phones and rate plans. You are no longer under any kind of commitment to AT...(continues)

There are some plans that are out there, but you'll be hard pressed to find anything to come close to what you had.

That said, there are many options that are less expensive than AT&T. Metro PCS on a family plan will give you 2 lines with unlimited everything for $70 out the door. T-Mobile will give you 1,000 voice minutes for $59.99 (but note you may be in this situation again soon). You can also get on the T-Mobile prepaid plan at $30 per line that gives you 1,500 minutes or text messages or any combination.